Was the Mini “Sword Bomb” Used to Hit a Car in Lebanon?

Footage said to show the aftermath of a highly targeted air strike on a vehicle in Lebanon has raised questions about whether a previously unknown miniature munition designed to cause little collateral damage was used. In particular, the damage to the vehicle’s windshield caused widespread comparisons. narrative impact signals related to AGM-114R9X variant The Hellfire missile has a set of opening blades instead of an explosive warhead.

A video and many photos of the strike, which is said to have taken place in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, were circulated on social media earlier today. The driver was injured, but it is not yet known what their condition is. It is not known whether this person, whose identity has not yet been identified, was the main target of the attack and whether there was anyone else in the vehicle at the time.

All this took place in the midst of a major Israeli campaign targeting the terrorist group Hezbollah, which has so far been characterized by unprecedented attacks. containing pagers And other electronic fraudulent detonate on commandtogether Now are the days of conventional air strikes. There are now signs that Israel may Preparing to invade southern Lebanon.

Warning: Some of the images below are quite graphic.

Very interesting: Israeli precision strike targeted a man in a car near Beirut.

There was a full blow to the windshield of the car and no explosion was heard.

The driver (reportedly a Hezbollah officer) was seriously injured.

Israeli Ninja missile? pic.twitter.com/s2VW81j95q

— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 26, 2024

Whatever hit the car appears to have hit downwards at a steep angle, with visible damage to the windshield and interior, particularly the steering wheel, which had been partially cut off. The damage also appears consistent with non-explosive kinetic munitions designed to destroy its target with impact force.

A close look at the impact mark on the windshield of the car. through

A deeper look at the car’s interior, including the glazed steering wheel. through

The cross-shaped impact mark left on the windshield of the car is the main factor that led to comparisons with the AGM-114R9X, a gun. War Zone it was first person to report the emergence In 2017. It is also known by the nicknames “ninja bomb” and “flying bomb”. GinsuThe R9X version of the Hellfire has a series of sword-like blades (possibly six) designed to pop out just before impact. You can learn more about what is known about this missile, which was specifically designed to cause extremely little collateral damage during targeted attacks. Here.

It is possible that Israel has developed four folding-wing miniature aerial munitions along the same general lines as the AGM-114R9X. At the same time, potential ‘blades’ are arranged around a well-defined circular center point. This is so different typically seen after Use of R9X Hellfires Their long blades were clearly designed to tear apart anything they hit. Therefore, it is possible that the ‘knife’ marks seen on the windshield of the car in Beirut are also the place where the blades of a small ammunition passed through the windshield.

Images of a car believed to have been hit by an AGM-114R9X in Syria in 2019, showing impact marks associated with that weapon. through

Miniature air-launched munitions of various types, especially for arming equally small dronesIt is attracting increasing attention worldwide. There are a number of known designs incorporating arrays of stabilizing fins at the tail end or along the fuselage, or both, which could possibly leave similar impact marks on a car when used in a non-explosive configuration. Northrop Grumman’s Axe, Vinegar From Corvid Technologies and L3Harris, Raytheon Pyros Small Tactical AmmunitionAnd Textron’s Rage are examples of such ammunition developed only in the United States in recent years. Foreign companies such as Roketsan in Turkey MAM ammunition familythey are also in this growing market area.

Another possibility is that the ammunition that hit the vehicle may have had an explosive warhead but did not explode for some reason. At the same time, Israel has an established history. regarding the use of aerial munitions reduction or absence of explosive charges. The US military and others use similar apps low collateral damage ammunition typesincluding inert bombs with warhead sections filled with concrete.

The apparent precision of the attack on the vehicle in Beirut also raises the question of how the ammunition might have been directed. War Zone has stated in the past AGM-114R9X may require in-loop operator guidance system Being able to hit targets with great precision, such as a specific person inside a moving vehicle, and doing so reliably. Israeli companies have been and continue to be pioneers. development of in-loop operator guidance capabilities. Developments AI-driven targeting capabilities It can also help greatly in this regard. There is even a possibility that the R9X will have some degree of autonomous guidance, capable of recognizing the chosen target point on its own.

Much is unknown about the attack on the vehicle in Beirut, but there are certainly signs that new, small and very low collateral damage munitions were used.

It would also make great sense to develop and deploy smaller ‘Ginsu-like’ munitions, particularly for use with smaller drones and to carry out even more challenging attacks. While what we know about the attack in Beirut does not conclusively prove that such munitions currently exist, it may only be a matter of time.

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